Château des Maladrets 2005 Beaujolais Villages

We settled down for a game of Pillars of the Earth, and decided to enjoy a glass of French wine to help us through the trauma of building a cathedral. We had a bottle of Beaujolais Villages 2005 Château des Maladrets.

A bright purple colour, it smelled of fresh crushed raspberries and blackcurrants. It felt smooth and velvety, with a medium full body. This Beaujolais had mashed fruit a plenty with enough spicy pepper to stop it feeling like Ribena with alcohol.

We served it cool, just a few degrees below room temperature, which really brought out its fruitiness. At £5-6 a bottle from Majestic, this is a good value wine that adds a little exuberance to the table.